MOUNT DORA, Fla. — The owner of a Mount Dora barbershop was killed Friday after refusing to cut a customer’s hair for $2, witnesses said.
The incident was reported about 6:30 p.m. at The Giants Barber Shop in the 2900 block of Old Highway 441.
Witnesses said the shooting suspect, Ryan Thornhill, 36. entered the shop earlier in the day asking for a $2 haircut.
When the victim, Wifredo Nieves, 39, refused, Thornhill left but later returned armed with a gun.
After shooting the barber, Thornhill was seriously injured by patrons inside the barbershop, witnesses said.
A weapon was recovered at the scene, police said.
Longtime customer Mark Turner was driving by the barbershop with Nicole Russell, and when they saw the flashing police lights they stopped to find out what happened.
“I think it’s sad,” Turner said. “The guy that owns the place, he’d cut our kid’s hair.”
He couldn’t believe that someone would shoot the owner of the shop over the price of a haircut.
“Just for somebody to kill a man behind $2, I think it’s sad,” Turner said. “And whoever did this needs to be brought down and carried to the jail immediately.”
Russell called the victim “real nice and real kind.”
Danny McKay told Eyewitness News that he goes to the shop and knows Nieves and the other owner.
"(They're) very nice young men that (are) trying to do the right thing and make an honest living," said McKay.
Thornhill was booked into the Lake County jail early Saturday and is being held without bail. He's been charged with first-degree premeditated murder and assault.
An arraignment hearing has been scheduled for May 8 at 8:30 a.m.
Cox Media Group
